Recycling Information, Guidance, Liinks & Outlets

Recycling Resources for Business

(For households, go to this page)

Looking for a recycler to handle that difficult waste? Try one of the outlets below. For more general waste, scroll farther down the page..

Free Booklets, Fact Sheets, Guides, etc.

(The) Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste
Describes how consumers can reduce their garbage by making environmentally aware decisions about the products and packaging they purchase, use, and ultimately dispose of. Suggestions follow four basic principles: reduce, reuse, recycle, and respond.
Disposal Tips for Home Health Care (Patient Flyer)
Adobe Acrobat PDF File || About...
Provides tips for preventing injury, illness, and pollution when disposing of sharp objects and contaminated materials used in administering home health care. Describes simple steps to safely dispose of needles, syringes, lancets, and other sharp objects.
Electronics Reuse and Recycling Directory - March 1997
Provides resources for information on reuse and recycling of a variety of consumer electronics, such as computers, televisions, video cameras, etc. Lists contact information for original equipment manufacturers, scrap dealers that utilize certain components within these products, businesses that dismantle or repair electronic items, and community and charitable organizations.
The Bohning Company.-A RETAP Success Story.This 1997 case study shows how a small northern Michigan manufacturer was able to successfully implement a number of waste reduction techniques with the assistance of the Michigan Retired Engineer Technical Assistance Program.
Conservation Tips for Businesses. This fact sheet covers a number of environmental areas including toxics reduction, energy efficiency and basic conservation activities.
Considerations in Selecting a Commercial (Off-Site) Solvent Recycling Service
Low Energy Recycling of Foundry Sand. This 1996 case study highlights the recycling efforts of foundry sand by Wolverine Bronze Company in Roseville, Michigan. At the heart of the system is a low energy "scrubbing." technique.
McNaughton and Gunn, Inc. This is a case study about a book printer located in Saline, Michigan. Its process generates paper, film scraps, aluminum printing plates, ink, and office paper waste. In an effort to reduce adverse impacts to the environment and to reduce disposal costs, the company strives to prevent or minimize the amount of waste being generated (source reduction). Source reduction strategies such as raw material input substitution, working with suppliers to reduce input packaging, and office management changes were key components in eliminating hazardous and solid waste.
Michigan Materials Exchange Service. This publication describes how your company can list materials and find materials using the Michigan Materials Exchange Service. Four on-line services are used to help locate markets for industrial over-runs, surpluses and other materials.
Pollution Prevention: What You Can Do At Your Facility. This publication takes you through the various areas in a typical facility where there is potential for pollution. It provides information and techniques for preventing pollution at the source. (pdf)
Procuring Recycled Products Fact Sheet (pdf )
Recycled Materials Market Directory (RMMD) The RMMD is a list developed by the Environmental Assistance Division to assist generators and collectors in finding markets for recyclable materials. Eight major sections (drums & barrels, glass, metals, oils & solvents, paper, plastics, pallets & wood & yard wastes, and miscellaneous) contain categories for a variety of recyclables such as old newsprint and clear container glass. It also contains difficult and new recyclables such as dry cell batteries and tires. Plans are underway to provide this information on the Internet and on disk as well as having it available in printed form. Please leave a message including your address with the Environmental Assistance Center and a paper copy will be mailed to you.
Recycling at Lorin Industries. This case study describes the reduction efforts of a job shop coil anodizer in Muskegon, Michigan. Through recycling of metals and other solid waste, chemical recovery, wastewater pretreatment, and water and energy conservation, the company is well on its way to a goal of zero discharge.
Reducing Corrugated Cardboard Waste. Corrugated cardboard is a common packing material that many businesses accumulate as waste. This fact sheet provides useful information on how you may be able to reduce that waste or collect it for recycling.
Reducing Office Paper Waste. This fact sheet includes tips that any office can use to reduce the amount of office paper waste it generates. It also includes the basics for setting up a paper recycling program.
Trickle Down Waste Water Reuse. Pilot Transport in Brighton, Michigan, is a trucking company that transports prototype vehicles around the country. Part of running a successful transport company involves washing the transport vehicles often. The result is a large volume of oily waste water. The company decided that the best option for dealing with this waste from a cost, as well as from an environmental standpoint, was to capture, clean and reuse the waste water. This case study describes the process.
Waste Reduction/Pollution Prevention: Checklist and Glossary. This fact sheet contains common waste reduction practices that can be applied in any business and at most facilities. The glossary contains definitions of terms often used in discussions of pollution prevention and waste reduction. (pdf)

List of General Recyclers

(Is your firm not in the list? Click here to add your company to these lists)

Alliance of Food Packaging Recyclers
Information and resources for Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging recycling.
Be SMART - Waste Reduction Web Site
Be SMART Website is a waste reduction site. SMART stands for Save Money And Reduce Trash. This site contains information related to waste reduction.
Bowling Green State University's Orphan Chemical Program
California Materials Exchange (CALMAX)
Chicago Board of Trade - Recyclable Exchange
The CBOT Recyclables Exchange is dedicated to the international trade of recyclable goods and requires registration.
The College and University Recycling Council (CURC)
The College and University Recycling Council (CURC) facilitates information exchange between institutions of higher education to learn about waste reduction, recycling and waste management issues.
Computer Recycling - National Directory
A State, National and International Directory of agencies that facilitate donations of used computer hardware for schools and community groups.
The Compost Resource Page.
Information on composting and other waste reduction technologies.
Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District Recycling guide
Includes an extensive Recycling guide, with lists of recyclers in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Enviroworld Waste Exchange List
List of waste exchanges throughout N. America
Global Recycling Network
A comprehensive Internet recycling information resource. Includes recycling directories, a reference library on recycling, a stock page, and a Glossary of Recycling Terms listing hundreds of terms commonly used in the recycling industry.
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)
ISRI is composed of over 1,600 industry member companies that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, and textiles. Members also include suppliers of equipment and services to the industry.
Internet Recycling Guide
This recycling guide provides a starting point for consumers in the USA and Canada searching the net for recycling information. The information is for residential household materials and quantities.
Internet Consumer Recycling Guide
A starting point for consumers searching the net for recycling information. Inlcudes information on hard to recycle materials.
Iowa Waste Reduction Center
The IWRC provides services such as on-site reviews, pollution prevention solutions, compliance assistance and comprehensive resources for many industries. The IWRC also maintains a waste exchange for the State of Iowa.
Metroworks
Metropolitan Toronto Metroworks provides information on recycling, solid waste management, water efficiency, composting and public consultation.
National Association for Plastic Container Recycling
Information and resources for recycling Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) packaging.
A free local and international online marketplace for trading and recycling used and surplus materials and goods. With over 10,000 listings, the Network allows state waste exchanges and industrial and consumer users at no charge to immediately list or search among thirty categories of available and wanted items such as scrap metal and surplus chemicals.
The NMEN seems to have died. ND 5/97)>
National Oil Recyclers Association (NORA) (Note: this link is not working at present - but I'm hoping it's a temporary problem)
NORA encourages and promotes the proper recycling of used oil, oil filters, used antifreeze, and other automotive and industrial materials through education and the development of legislation. Information about memberships, conferences, and regulatory alerts is available at this site.
National Wood Recycling Directory
The National Wood Recycling Directory is produced by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service (USFS).
The Northeast Ohio Orphan Chemical Exchange Program
The Orphan Chemical Exchange Program links business, industries and academic institutions in order to exchange usable chemicals before they become wastes.
New Hampshire Materials Exchange

Ohio EPA Office of Pollution Prevention Recycling Lists
Recycling information compiled by the Ohio EPA Office of Pollution Prevention. Includes information on recycling antifreeze, batteries, computers, fluorescent lamps, freons and CFC's, mercury, motor oil, motor oil Bottles, construction debris, plastics, wood and more. Also links to Ohio Waste Exchanges.
The Ohio Dept of Natural Resources - Recycle Ohio
The ODNR Recycle Ohio site provides information on recycling, recycled-content products, recycling markets, market development and recycling publications.

Replaces the ORICS site which has been discontinued
PEP National Directory of Computer Recycling Programs
List of national computer recycling programs.
Polystyrene Recycling locations
A national recycling directory for polystyrene recyclers. The directory is provided by the PolyStyrene Packaging Council (PSPC).
Recycling Data Network
A listing of over 25,000 recycling agencies, firms and professionals in North America.
Recycling Manager
Lists current U.S. market prices of various recycled materials, for example: Recycling Manager, Prices to Office
Recycler's World
Provides information relating to secondary or recyclable commodities, by-products, used and surplus items or materials and collectible items. Includes listing of exchange services and publications.
Roanoke Valley, VA - DON'T THROW IT AWAY -- GIVE IT AWAY!
The RVRA Waste Market is a public service of the Roanoke Valley Resource
Authority. If you have usable items in good condition, such as paint, driveway
sealer, batteries, cleaners, antifreeze, wood preservatives, paint stripper, pool
chemicals, photographic chemicals or other similar items that are no longer of use to you, the Waste Market is the place to go. Click here to add your entry.
Rot Web
This site is dedicated to the art of home composting.
Scrap Tire Management Association
Includes information and statistics on tire recycling and a Recycled Rubber Products Catalog. A division of the Rubber Management Association.
Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
Information on municipal solid waste management. Of P2 interest is coverage of recycling issues.
Surplus & Scrap Wood Products Exchange Directory
The Surplus & Scrap Wood Products Exchange Directory is a waste exchange that provides a way for wood shops, furniture manufacturers and sawmills, etc. large and small, to conserve resources, increase wood utilization and increase profits.
United States Environmental / Recycling Hotline
The U.S. Environmental / Recycling Hotline is a directory of local recycling centers located throughout the U.S. The system allows you to search by geographic region, zip code and material type. A good first stop for finding centers in your local area that accept basic recyclables such as paper, metal, plastic, auto parts, etc.
Waste Prevention World
An online, searchable database of waste reduction information provided by the California Integrated Waste Management board. It includes a collection of useful Waste Reduction Clip-art.
WASTE WI$E - (U.S. EPA)
The U.S. EPA WasteWi$e program is designed to assist businesses in taking cost-effective actions to reduce solid waste in each of three areas: Waste prevention, Recycling collection, and Buying or manufacturing recycled products.
WEST VIRGINIA DIRECTORY of RECYCLING
Provided by the West Virginia Library Comission and office of conservation and litter control.
World Resource Foundation Archive
This web site maintains a comprehensive infomration service on the following waste management options: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, dispose), and other source material.